In an effort to improve communication between officers and citizens, residents of Peterborough, UK can now report less serious crimes to police on Skype.
The program is in trial right now and is certainly not for emergency situations; however, it will be helpful for follow-up interviews with victims of crimes. As opposed to "911," the non-emergency number to call is "101," which now provides the option to Skype with an officer. This option still coexists along with the more traditional means like setting up a meeting at their own home or the police station.
The ability to talk to police on Skype is meant to help people with busy schedules as well as keep police officers on patrol for more of their time, rather than unnecessarily traveling to people's houses.
Policing Video Chats
UK Citizens Can Now Report & Discuss Less Serious Crimes to Police on Skype
Trend Themes
1. Remote Reporting - The trend of using digital platforms like Skype to report less serious crimes to the police presents disruptive innovation opportunities for improving communication between officers and citizens.
2. Enhancing Accessibility - The trend of offering alternative communication channels like Skype for reporting crimes provides disruptive innovation opportunities to make law enforcement more accessible to individuals with busy schedules.
3. Efficiency in Policing - The trend of leveraging technology to streamline police operations, such as conducting follow-up interviews through Skype, creates disruptive innovation opportunities for optimizing police resources and increasing patrol time.
Industry Implications
1. Law Enforcement - The law enforcement industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by integrating digital platforms like Skype to improve communication with citizens and optimize resource allocation.
2. Telecommunications - The telecommunications industry can leverage the trend of using platforms like Skype for reporting crimes to enhance their services and provide secure and convenient communication channels for law enforcement agencies.
3. Technology - The technology industry can capitalize on disruptive innovation opportunities by developing specialized applications or platforms tailored for law enforcement agencies to facilitate remote reporting and efficient communication.